Shipping container full of e-bikes stolen in Delta

A shipping container containing 150 Biktrix e-bikes worth $500,000 was stolen from a warehouse on Annacis Island on March 19, the Delta Police Department says.

Police say CCTV shows that a semi-tractor entered the warehouse — which was not secured — around 1 a.m., and backed up under the container. Two suspects — a man and a woman — got out and connected the trailer to the truck and then drove away “within minutes.” The theft was reported to police 12 hours later.

According to a post on Biktrix Electric Bikes’ Facebook page, the stolen bikes were the Juggernaut FS St model.

On March 22, Township of Langley Bylaw officers responded to a complaint of an illegally parked semi-trailer. They determined it was the trailer stolen from the Delta warehouse.

The trailer was empty and did not have a licence plate.

“A video canvass of the area did not show the trailer being parked and left at the location,” police say.

“The canvass identified a witness who advised the trailer had been parked at the location on Monday, March 18th, (one day before the trailer had been stolen).”

Police say the truck was a white Freightliner daycab tractor with “Ryder” written on both doors.

However, the DPD says Biktrix’s CEO has “complicated the police’s ability to conduct investigations overtly and covertly” after he went public on social media.

CEO Rochan Thomas took to social media sites detailing what happened on Annacis Island, and also posted CCTV footage of the theft.

For Thomas, he says the dozens of bikes — the pinnacle of their hard works and dreams — hurts.

“This isn’t just about the financial loss of over $500,000 But it’s really a punch to the gut of our team and community,” he said.

“We’ve worked over two years on this bike and waited over six months to get this first production line into our possession,” Thomas explained.

The DPD says the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with any information about the theft or the stolen e-bikes is asked to call Delta Police at 604-946-4411 and quote file 24-4794. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

–With files from Michelle Meiklejohn